Guardian of Darkness

by Katie Reus

  Other than the wild animals, she knew she was alone and dropped her cloaking, but didn’t shift back to full human. She kept her phone up high enough so that her brother only saw her face. “We are alone now. How much do you trust Gabriel?”

  “He is a good male. Like I said, he’s part of a pack that our clan has deep ties to. He’s very close to both the females who mated with my sons. They were once part of his pack.”

  Both his sons had mated with wolves? That was interesting. “I want to hear all about your children.”

  His mouth kicked up, humor twinkling in the silvery gray depths. “What about my mate?”

  She did something very human then and rolled her eyes. “Whom did you mate?”

  “I think you know the answer to that.”

  It was true. There had never been another female for Dragos once he’d met that lunatic. “How is little Arya?”

  Dragos snorted and shook his head. “I never understood why you two butted heads, since you are so similar.”

  “I just wanted to make sure she was strong enough for you.” So Mira and Prima had pushed Arya, forced her to battle with them even though she’d been young and not as strong. The crazy bitch had been fierce, arrogant and fearless, even knowing she couldn’t match them.

  “She is perfect.” Then he got that special smile that males only had when referring to their mates.

  Mira took a deep breath. “Has she made you happy?”

  “She has. Beyond words.”

  “Good. I accepted her a long time ago.”

  Dragos simply shook his head. “I know. Mira…come home.”

  “I can’t. Prima is still hibernating, close by. I feel her restlessness, I feel her stirring. I can’t leave until I know exactly where she is.” And…potentially stop her from rising. Though it broke Mira’s heart, she would stop her twin if necessary. It would kill her if she had to end her sister.

  Dragos closed his eyes. Then they suddenly snapped open. “Do you think the Hibernation has helped her madness?”

  Mira wasn’t quite certain that it had been madness, just that her sister had been so tired of the world. Maybe that was the definition of madness for their kind. Prima had been utterly exhausted with humans and their pettiness. “I cannot know for certain. All I know is I cannot leave this region until she wakes up or decides to remain in Hibernation. If she wakes and is fine then…we will come home.”

  He nodded once, his expression grim. “How does the Alpha feel about you staying there?”

  She lifted a shoulder. “He doesn’t love the idea, but he hasn’t tried to force me out. He is very civil, this wolf.” And adorable—something she knew better than to tell Judoc. Males sometimes had fragile egos.

  Her brother laughed then, the sound blooming. “Most wolves are civil…ish. But I understand what you mean. I want to come see you straightaway. How do you think that will go over with the Alpha?”

  She was silent for a long moment. Her desire to see her family was overwhelming, but she had to deal with the issue of her twin first. “He is being generous, partially I think because I am a female and beautiful.” She said this with no conceit. Facts were facts. “If I bring in another powerful male whose crazy mate will almost certainly want to come with him, I don’t see how that will go over well.” Three powerful dragons in a wolf’s territory? No…it would not do.

  Dragos nodded once in agreement. “I don’t know enough about this male so you are likely right. I can send you money, make sure that you have everything you need. I will get you a cell phone and—”

  She shook her head. “The Alpha here has provided for everything and I have promised to pay him back. The wolf Gabriel, he said that if he could convince me to tell the Alpha why I’m here, that he would demand a favor of his cousin. Do you think I should tell them why I’m here?” It was in her nature to keep the matters of dragons private from all others but…Dragos’s only children had mated with wolves, and a wolf was giving her free passage in his territory. Times had changed.

  Her brother was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke again. “I want to say yes because I trust Gabriel, but… Let me get back to you. I will call Gabriel later. And my son-in-law might have an answer for you. I don’t know enough about this wolf, Judoc. But Bran might.”

  She nodded once, trusting her brother implicitly. “All of your children are mated? You’ve mentioned two sons and a son-in-law, so you must have a daughter as well? Unless your third son mated a male?”

  Dragos grinned with pride. “I have two sons and one daughter. Drake and Conall are mated to wolves from the Stavros pack. My daughter, Keelin, is mated to an Alpha in another region. She is sweet and kind and perfect. And you will adore them all.” There was so much pride in his voice it warmed Mira deeply. “My daughter-in-law—a healer—is mated to Drake. Though Gabriel is close to both my daughters-in-law, Victoria is the one with a long and deep relationship with Gabriel. I think you will be able to trust him as well.”

  “He chased a female here. I haven’t even met her, but her scent lingers on him. She has a very unique and delightful smell.”

  Her brother gave a startled laugh and slightly shook his head. “Just don’t tell her that. Telling someone they have a delightful smell is a bit odd for this era…or any era.”

  She shrugged, knowing he was right. She’d always marched to the beat of her own drum—a phrase she’d recently learned from one of the wolves. She was learning a lot of the idioms and customs and wasn’t sure she liked all of them, but as always, she would adapt to the era. If she decided to stay topside, anyway. “I believe you will be able to reach me on this cell phone.”

  “I’m still going to send you a new one. I don’t care if that wolf has provided everything, you’re my sister. I will send you a package overnight.”

  She nodded once, and drank in the face of her baby brother who was not a child anymore but a grown dragon. A strong male with a family of his own. “I have missed you, even in sleep,” she murmured. She’d missed her sister too and hoped against all hope that if Prima rose, she would be okay.

  “I have missed you as well. I’ve missed both my sisters.” There was a touch of sadness in his voice. Something she understood well.

  Mira nodded once and, unable to speak past the lump in her throat, she abruptly ended the call. Her brother would understand. Now she had decisions to make.

  * * *

  Vega was a little annoyed that Gabriel had left without telling her what he was doing, but let it slide. Even if they were in fake couple mode, she was here to do a damn job. As soon as they’d arrived, they’d been shown to two separate rooms, right next to each other. And the Alpha got points for giving them separate rooms even if they’d made it clear they were lovers. Sometimes she-wolves liked to play games during the mating rituals.

  Earlier, as they’d passed a door, Gabriel had stealthily pointed to the door and later told her he strongly scented Carson. So far she hadn’t seen the male from her files, but luckily Gabriel had his scent.

  She was certain that soon enough she would know it too. There had simply been too many mixed in for her to differentiate which one Gabriel had been referring to.

  “I forgot my phone. I’m going to head back inside and grab it,” she said to the female she was talking to.

  Older than Vega by a few decades, though she looked to be the same age, the woman smiled brightly. “Of course. We’re just so glad to have Gabriel back. It’s been ages. A decade, I think, since he’s been home. Maybe longer.”

  She nearly snarled. Gabriel’s home wasn’t here. Instead, she smiled. “I’ll see you in a bit,” Vega said before heading across the huge lawn.

  The house was similar in size to her own pack’s mansion. The layout was a little different, but for the most part it was simply more of the same. Wolves needed to be around pack members but they also needed privacy once in a while. She guessed that the rooms were incredibly insulated, because when she’d been inside the guest room, she hadn�
�t heard much outside.

  Once inside, she quickly made her way to the second floor, smiling politely at a few of the wolves she saw.

  She received a few curious looks from males and females, but everyone obviously knew she was welcome here.

  Instead of heading to her room, she strode straight for the one that Gabriel had pointed to—Carson’s room.

  When she reached it, she leaned against the door and listened. No one else was in the hallway so she was going to take advantage, especially since the male was supposed to be in the library. She couldn’t hear anyone, but that might not mean anything at this point.

  She tried the handle and it was locked. So she knocked. She waited six beats and when no one came to the door, she quickly picked the lock. It wasn’t heavy-duty, much like the setup at her own home.

  Once inside the bedroom, one scent rose above everything else and she guessed it was the male Gabriel referred to. Had to be Carson.

  A quick glance told her no one was inside the masculine, opulent bedroom.

  She shouldn’t be doing this without backup, but August had told her sometimes you had to make snap decisions and stick to them. That was exactly what she was doing.

  Using her supernatural speed, she quickly searched the most obvious areas like under the bed, under the mattress, inside the vents, and inside drawers. Even if they were stupid hiding places, she had to rule them out. Once she was done in the bedroom, she made sure everything was exactly as she’d left it.

  As she stepped into the bathroom, the door handle to the bedroom jiggled.

  She had to make a decision. For a moment she contemplated using her gift of concealment. It would create a mirage around her, but that usually only worked outdoors. In a confined space like this it could work—but she couldn’t walk through walls. She’d have to open the door to get out, and whoever was on the other side would see her.

  Moving quickly, she flushed the toilet and then stepped out of the bathroom as a tall, blond-haired male stepped into the bedroom.

  He frowned as he looked at her. Just as quickly that frown morphed into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “What are you doing in my room? And who are you?”

  She laughed lightly and stepped fully into the bedroom. He swept his gaze over her, more sizing her up than anything.

  “Sorry, we just got in and all these rooms and doors look the same. I hope you don’t mind I used your bathroom.”

  The frown was back. “My door was locked.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Are you sure about that?” she asked laughingly. She was very careful with her words as she stepped past him. “I’m Vega, by the way,” she said, pulling the door back open.

  His gaze narrowed slightly. “You’re not part of the pack.”

  “No kidding, that’s why I said we just arrived today.”

  “Who is we?”

  Instead of responding she simply winked at him and headed down the hallway. Heart pounding only a little bit, she kept her steps steady and even until she reached the end. When she rounded a corner, she allowed herself a moment to sag against one of the walls. That had been close. And he probably suspected something—maybe just that she was a nosy wolf. Still, not good. She’d have to tell Gabriel as soon as she saw him.

  Two Years Ago

  Gabriel,

  I went on a date last night with the perfect guy. Shifter, check. Alpha, check. Not intimidated by who I am, check. Wants a mate but won’t expect her to make all the sacrifices when it comes to a career, check. Sexy, check. Funny as hell, check. Finished a few of my movie quotes, check. So when he walked me to my door and made a move to kiss me, what did I do? Sidestepped. Why? Because he’s not you. And I really want to punch you in the face for that. Maybe repeatedly.

  I thought things were starting to change between us, that just maybe you were starting to see me as an individual. Not Vega Stavros, the pack princess. Not that insecure teenager who came to live with the pack. Because yeah, I get what an emotional mess I was back then. Cut me some freaking slack, I was dealing with a lot. Back to the present… The other night when you walked me home from class and we watched that movie together…I thought—clearly whatever I thought was wrong. You weren’t looking at me like I hung the damn moon. You weren’t looking at me like you really, truly wanted to kiss me. Even if it sure felt like it.

  Because I know that you put in for a transfer away from New Orleans. That you don’t want to get stuck here babysitting me for a couple more years. Okay, I’m adding that last part, but obviously it’s what you’re thinking. You know what? Screw you. If you didn’t want to be here, you could have at least told me to my face. Not asked my dad for a transfer, then ghosted without saying goodbye. Friends don’t do that. And I thought that no matter what, we were at least that. Guess I was wrong. I won’t be sending you this letter, but it feels really good to get all this out. You know what would feel better? Throat punching you.

  Vega

  Chapter 12

  “Well that was certainly interesting,” Gabriel said dryly as Mira disappeared. He’d never seen a dragon partially shift like that before. It was a little disturbing.

  “I didn’t know she could do that either. Is that normal for dragons?”

  “I don’t think so, but I don’t know for certain.” Gabriel wasn’t naive enough to think that dragons shared everything with their allies.

  His cousin was silent as he stared up into the now empty sky.

  “Why did you introduce me to her?” Gabriel asked.

  “Because I trust you. Thought you might have some insight. I had no idea you would know her actual relatives, however. It seems a lot has changed since we’ve last seen each other.”

  Gabriel simply nodded, because what else was there to say? They were supernatural beings and long-lived. Things were always going to change. It was the only constant in anyone’s life. He had long ago accepted that fact. The only thing he couldn’t accept was Vega’s future as he’d seen it. He simply would not.

  “So you really think you can convince her to tell me why she won’t leave?”

  Gabriel lifted a shoulder. “It’s worth a shot. She was very insistent that she couldn’t, not wouldn’t. Big difference.”

  His cousin was silent for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. “You know I would give you anything in my power as long as it doesn’t hurt my pack. Why do you need a favor from me? Are you in trouble?” Concern laced his words.

  Gabriel snorted. “I’m not in trouble.” And that was all he was going to say about that. His cousin might hate him when he asked for the favor but it had to be done. “Do you have a lot of sentries patrolling?”

  “Enough that she’ll probably fly a mile or so for privacy.”

  “What does your pack think of her?”

  Now Judoc snorted. “Most of the females adore her and have had a good time teaching her about modern things. Mira seems horrified by reality television—and TV in general. Some of my males are intimidated by her even though they would never admit it aloud. And the other half want the chance to court her. Which personally I think is a mistake. She would eat them alive.”

  Now Gabriel laughed. “Her brother’s mate, the one she apparently doesn’t care for, they’re so similar it’s scary.”

  Judoc was silent for a long moment. “So, the dragons have officially come out.” Not a question but a statement. “I’d heard rumblings, but I don’t have any alliances with dragon clans.”

  The only reason Gabriel’s own pack did was by happenstance. Not that he would tell his cousin that. “I believe they are officially out to the supernatural world. Not that I think you should go broadcasting that you have one on your land.”

  His cousin’s expression turned solemn. “I’m allied with two wolf packs. I’ve only reached out to one Alpha about her existence and he wasn’t surprised by the existence of dragons. But he also didn’t know who she was.”

  “She’s ancient.” Ancient in the way Gabriel had learned
that only dragons were. There were a few wolves over a thousand years old, maybe even older, but with dragons it was different. They went into Hibernation for hundreds of years, sometimes even longer. Otherwise they would likely go mad. Too many memories and too much pain and loss would drive anyone mad. He certainly didn’t want to live forever. And if anything happened to Vega, he didn’t want to be here at all.

  “Her power is a palpable thing.”

  Gabriel simply nodded because he’d felt it too. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it pushed at his senses.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t taken a mate by now,” Gabriel said into the quiet of the forest.

  His cousin shrugged. “Being Alpha is hard. The pack is off-limits for sex and I’ve been so busy the last few years…” Now he shrugged. Gabriel understood. Taking a mate wasn’t something one did lightly. It was for life, and not in the human sense. Shifters didn’t get divorced or separated. Or it was very rare if they did. Matings were forever, and given their life span, that could be a very long time.

  “How did you know Vega was your mate?” Judoc asked suddenly.

  “My wolf recognized her even before I did.” It was more or less the truth. And in his vision his wolf had known she was the one, had been completely settled with that knowledge. “I can’t even look at another female with interest now.” Once he’d had that vision, he hadn’t even slept with another female despite not knowing Vega. His wolf had simply rejected the idea.